Medical Billing and Coding Specialist

The Medical Billing and Coding Specialist programme is offered via traditional delivery and distance education delivery. Its objective is to train students for entry-level employment in data collection, documentation, diagnostic and procedural coding, insurance claim completion and submission, updating insurance rules and regulations, and following up on claims. Students also receive instruction in the techniques of finding and retaining a job.

Students train on computer equipment using software to create documents and maintain databases, are introduced to medical office management software often used in the field, and use up-to-date billing and coding instructional materials. Graduates will be able to perform accounts receivable and billing/collection functions, prepare and file insurance claims, interpret billing guidelines for private and managed care plans, and apply CPT, ICD-10, and HCPCS coding guidelines.

The programme includes 290 hours of hands-on lab work, a 146-hour on-the-job externship, electronic records and telemedicine communication training, hybrid learning, preparation for as many as four certifications, and 19 career skill badges. The Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) exam fee is included in tuition if taken within three months of completion; Certified Medical Administrative Assistant, Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist and Microsoft Word exams are available at additional cost.

Southern Careers Institute was founded in 1960 and received its initial accreditation from the Council on Occupational Education in 1991. It trains students at eight Texas campuses and online, and its campuses are authorized testing sites for the National Healthcareer Association and Certiport. Students earn skill badges as they progress, and SCI Connect, the school’s career services portal, lets students build a profile with their resume, skill badges and videos of them performing job tasks for employers who post jobs there.

Before you start. Prior to the start date, you must visit the school and tour the campus (if you are enrolling in a programme with on-campus classes) and complete an interview with a licensed representative in the Admissions department.

Age and education. You must be at least 16 years of age. An applicant who is under 18 at the time of admission must provide proof of a high school diploma or GED and have written permission from a parent or legal guardian, who co-signs the enrollment agreement. You must provide verifiable official documentation of completion of secondary education within 21 calendar days of starting school: a high school diploma or transcript showing the graduation date, a home school transcript, a recognised high school equivalency certificate, an associate degree from an institution accredited by an agency recognised by the US Department of Education, or a foreign credential evaluated by a NACES member or a TEA-listed evaluation service.

Criminal history. Prospective students must provide criminal history information. Anyone with a convicted or pending felony violent crime, a convicted or pending serious felony drug crime, any sex offense conviction or pending felony sexual case, or who is a registered sex offender is not eligible for enrollment in any programme. SCI reserves the right to conduct criminal background checks.

English. SCI does not provide ESL instruction; classes are taught in English. Students whose primary language is not English must document English proficiency, for example graduation from an English-speaking secondary institution, a TOEFL iBT score of 61, an IELTS level of 6, or a grade of C in an intermediate ESL course.

SCI admits students without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, disability, or any other factor prohibited by law.

Technology requirements. To be admitted to a programme that includes virtual or online learning, you must have regular, daily access to a computer (minimum a Windows 10 or newer PC/laptop or a MacBook with 8GB RAM, 256GB storage and a Core i5 processor) with speakers, a microphone and a webcam; regular, daily broadband or 3G/4G/LTE internet access; the ability to use email, a web browser and the learning management system; and word processing software such as Microsoft Word or OpenOffice.

Shifts. The estimated completion time is 36 weeks on the morning or afternoon shift, or 51 weeks on the evening shift. Allied Health and Business day classes run Monday to Thursday from 8:00 am to 3:10 pm.

Modules. SCI programmes run in three-week modules scheduled continuously; the externship module is six weeks. For ground programmes on the flex schedule, assignments and in-person lab classes are scheduled on two set days a week, and lectures are completed online through video instruction that can be watched at any time of day before the hands-on labs. Schedules are representative and may vary by campus and programme.

Externship. The externship is the final course; students start at their assigned site on the first business day after their last classroom course. Externship schedules should be 40 hours per week, are available only during the day (including for evening students), may require commutes, different shifts or weekend work, and are unpaid.

Tuition: $18,450.00; mandatory fees: $0.00; total: $18,450.00.

Graduates may find entry-level employment in a doctor’s, chiropractor’s or podiatrist’s office, hospital, emergency/urgent care facility, clinic, nursing home, pharmacy, public health department or other medical office, as well as attorneys’ offices, insurance companies, third-party billers, or other businesses that need billing and coding knowledge. Entry-level positions include medical insurance billing and coding clerk, medical front office clerk, medical receptionist, medical claims processor, insurance coordinator, medical records clerk, eligibility clerk, billing clerk, patient service specialist, patient access representative, scheduler, or admitting clerk.

While certification is not required, many employers prefer to hire candidates who hold certification from recognized organizations.

Career services. Career Services are available to active students and graduates. Staff strive to meet every student before graduation for an exit interview that includes a customised job-search profile, an entry-level resume and a mock interview; they provide resume and interview help and work with local employers to match their needs with graduates’ skills. SCI does not guarantee employment or a specific starting salary.

Orientation. Before beginning their programmes, all new students attend an orientation session to hear about the campus and the learning experience and to meet the administrative staff, faculty and other students. Campus department directors explain the student support available and clarify students’ responsibilities and expectations. Students registered for distance-education courses also attend an online orientation that introduces the learning platform and the standards for postings, plagiarism, online etiquette and attendance.

Classes. SCI programmes run in three-week modules scheduled continuously (the AAS in Nursing runs in 15-week terms), and the externship module, where a programme has one, is six weeks. Learning new material may require at least five additional outside hours for every 20 hours spent in lecture or laboratory. To graduate you must complete all courses within the maximum time frame and earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.0; graduation ceremonies are typically held twice a year.

Support. Student services include tutoring, attendance advising and academic advising, and SCI gives referrals to community resources for housing, childcare, employment, transportation, mental health services and alcohol and drug counselling. SCI does not provide housing. Students receive skill badges to mark milestones and help market their skills.